New to the block
by Phantom-Cosplayer
Summary: Emiko Mari is living life on the straight and narrow after finally gaining the stability in her life that she's always strived for. Unfortunately her order and routine lifestyle is short lived due to her meeting the orange haired Kurosaki boy and being thrown into someone else's war. From the moment they meet her life seems to be skewed towards him and she just can't figure out why


"Goooooood Morniiiiiiiiing Ichiiiiiiiiigoooooooo!" Keigo screamed as he bolted down the hallway of Karakura High School. Ichigo ignored his calling and continued on his way to his classroom. When he neared, Ichigo stuck out an arm, Keigo meeting it and smashing his face into Ichigo's fist.

"Morning Keigo."

"Ow my face! Ichigo why are you so mean to me?!" He asked crying comical crocodile tears and rubbing his nose.

Kurosaki ignored him and walked into his classroom sitting in his desk awaiting the start of class. He slouched in his chair until his teacher walked in.

"Good morning class, I'd like to welcome you all back after vacation. I hope you all had a great break and came back rejuvenated and ready to learn. I also hope you all did your homework. As I know most of you won't have, it's not due until next week. But I want quality work. No last minute stuff. And lastly we have a new student joining us today. I'd like you all to make them feel very welcome and no funny business." she said glaring in the direction of the juvenile delinquents.

"You can come in now." The teacher called to the door. A hundred and twenty pound girl standing five foot eight with a pair of C cups walked into the room. She had a round face with big eyes that matched the colour of a pond with blue green algae in bloom. She had a large pair of lips of a deep red shade, Cupid's bow, the ones evey girl dreamed of.

Everyone starred at her. She twirled a piece of her blond and creamy brown hair around her index finger and bit her bottom lip. The new girl walked to the side if the teachers desk and faced the class.

"Hi everyone. I'm Mari Emiko. You can just call me Emiko if it's easier." She smiled at the class and then looked to her teacher.

"Good. Now would you like to tell us a bit about yourself."

"Okay. Well I just moved here from Tokyo and I just got a job at Urahara's Shop. I work most days after school and some weekends. Hmm there isn't really much else about me I can think of that's worth mentioning. Does anyone have any questions?"

"Are you mixed blood?" One girl asked.

"Is that, your natural hair colour?" Another asked

Emiko put her hands up to silence the questions. "Yeah, I'm a mixed blood. My mother was Japanese and moved to the United States. She met my father and they were married after four years of living together. They moved back here to get married and we've been traveling ever since. And yes, this is my natural hair colour. It's the same as most of the women on my father's side."

"Can you speak English as well as Japanese."

"I speak fluent Japanese and I'm okay with English. I usually have to brush up on it when we travel overseas."

"Do you want to hang out at lunch?" Keigo asked her with a cheesy grin.

"I don't have any other plans. I can't see why not." She said with a smile. There were no other questions so her teacher asked her to sit down and she started teaching.

* * *

"Soooo new girl."

"Keigo, you know my name if you want me to eat lunch with you you'd better start calling me by it." Emiko said sipping from her juice box not even turning to look at him. He nodded and she turned her attention to the other members of the group coming up the stairs.

"Well what do you know, Keigo can make friends." A black haired boy with brown eyes said sitting down opposite her.

"Hi." She said. "My name's"

"Mari Emiko, we know." Another black haired boy said sitting down, this one had glasses. Emiko bit her bottom lip nervously. "Well it's nice to meet all of you."

"It's nice meeting you too." Said a taller orange haired boy. He gave her a brief smile and sat down next to her. "You'll have to excuse these guys and their poor social skills. Mizuiro here," he said pointing to the black haired boy across from her. "Is depressed about not scoring with the girls lately, so he'll probably try hitting on you later. You have to watch him, he's a real player. And the grumpy one with the glasses is Uryuu. He's always like this but he's not too bad when you get to know him. Lasty you have my best friend Chad. I've know him since middle school. You've met Keigo, he seemed to just become one of this group one day. Kinda weird but I guess you already know that."

"Ichigo! That's not fair! I have been your best friend since we met on our first day of high school."

"If I recall you thought he and Chad were nothing but delinquents and were terrified of them until they saved your ass." Mizuiro said eating his bento.

Emiko giggled. "Why am I not surprised."

"Awww come on guys, quit cock blocking me!" Keigo whined.

"You do enough of that yourself Keigo. Anyway, I'm not interested in dating you." She said playfully but still rather harshly.

"Then what are you still doing here?"

"Well I'm just chilling with my new best buddies. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I uuh. I have every right to be here. You're just the new kid." It was all fun and games till he said that.

"**That's not my name. My name is Mari Emiko and I expect you to use my name when you address me." **She said in a deep and terrifying voice. Keigo scrambled away and behind Chad.

"So Ichigo, what subject do you have next?" Emiko said like nothing happened.

"Um Media, I think." Ichigo replied taking a sip of his juice box.

"Agh, I think I have art. I don't know anyone in that class."

"I think that's Inoue-san's class."

"Uhh who?" Emiko didn't think she had met an Inoue.

"Oh! That's right. You haven't met anyone from our group." Keigo said slapping himself in the face.

"Uryuu-san could you introduce me?" Emiko asked standing up and looking at him expectantly.

"I suppose I could."

* * *

"Alright, time to spill. I can tell something is up just by the way you said her name. You like Inoue don't you?" Emiko demanded.

Uryuu choked on his juice box. "What?!"

"No use trying to hide it. Somethings going on and I know it."

"How would you even know? You've only been here for half a day." He replied.

"Because. anyway I'm a girl. We just know things. Now tell me, what's going on?" She said with a light smile. "It's alright. I'm not going to run round telling everyone. We're not in Preschool anymore."

He sighed. "Ah! I knew it." Emiko was bursting with excitement. "So, have you told her? Have you asked her out?"

"No. She seems to like Kurosaki."

"Is that the big guy?"

"No, that's Chad. Kurosaki is the one with the orange hair."

"Oh, you mean Ichigo. He's a sweetie. Now here's what we'll do. You introduce me and I'll devise a plan in art class. Easy as pie. The good guy always get's the girl."

"By saying that you're implying Kurosaki is the bad guy."

"I don't think he is but you're the knight and she's the princess. He's the other suitor so I guess I was but what I mean is you'll have to duel for her affection. Not literally though."

"I suppose but I think Kurosaki likes Rukia-san anyway."

"Oh."

"Oh? Do you like Kurosaki?"

"I don't know. I think he's good looking and he's a nice guy but I don't really know him. I'd like to be friends with him I think. Yeah, friends sounds good."

"Sounds good until you realize you like him."

"I have literally been here for like a day, I dint think I'm in any position to decided if I like anyone." I replied and he nodded.

* * *

"Inoue-san"

"Uryuu-kun!" A busty orange haired girl called affectionately from the grass under a tree. She waved him down and he sat in front of her, leaving Emiko standing around like a mule.

"Inoue-san, this," he gestured behind him. "Is Mari Emiko and she'll be in your art class next."

"Ooh cool. Are you.." Orihime was cut off by Mari's short temper.

"New yes."

"Oooh do you want to come to Tatsuki's house with me after school and we'll have a tea party!"

"Inoue, I don't think Tatsuki-san is really the tea party type." Uryuu pointed out.

"What's this I hear about tea parties?" An average height girl with short and spikey hair that came down to the length of her shoulders.

"Aahh Tatsuki-san you've had a haircut." Uryuu commented.

"Yes, I kind of liked the long hair but it didn't really suit me."

"It looked nice when it was short." Orihime commented.

"Maybe some new bangs." Emiko pondered aloud.

"Hey that's a pretty good idea." Tatsuki agreed.

* * *

"Hey Emiko, how did art class go?" An orange tuft of hair said from behind a row of lockers.

"You remembered." She commented sitting beside him to change her shoes.

"Yeah." He said not really knowing what to reply.

"It was great. How was media?"

"Not too bad actually."

"That's good." She mused.

Ichigo stood up and took his bag, throwing it over one shoulder. He offered her a hand and Emiko took it sanding up and sliding her back pack on over her shoulder.

"Are you walking home?" He asked reluctantly letting go of her hand.

"Um usually yes but er Orihime asked me over to I think Tatsuki's house."

"Oh, I know where that is, she lives quite near me. On my street, actually."

"Neat."

* * *

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Hey Ichigo!"

Orihime and Tatsuki called from the school gates.

"Mari-san, we've been waiting for you." Orihime stated.

"Thanks." Emiko replied unsure of what Orihime wanted to achieve with that statement.

* * *

"Never again." Emiko said looking green.

"Agreed." Ichigo replied.

"How did you get roped into this?" She asked, some colour returning to her face.

"I was being a gentleman walking you ladies to Tatsuki's house." He justified.

"Then of course it seemed like a fabulous idea to walk Orihime home." She shook her head in dismay.

"And stay for some tea." He shuddered.

"Can that be classed as tea?" Emiko asked turning slightly green again.

"Let's not talk about anymore."

"Agreed."

They continued their trek down the straight cobbled road after crossing the river by the bridge.

"So.." Ichigo broke the silence.

"Yeah. You're from around here aren't you?" Emiko asked removing the situation's awkwardness.

"Born here almost never left." He agreed.

"Almost huh? So which middle school did you go to?" She questioned.

"Mashiba Middle School."

"I went there for a while."

"What?" Ichigo asked in astonishment.

"Don't act so surprised Ichigo. I may be a lady but I can sure take care of myself."

"You sure can, I suppose I should've figured that out after you threatened Keigo earlier." He put his arms behind his head whilst carrying his book bag over his shoulder.

Emiko carried hers over her shoulder by one strap. "That's not all I can do." She giggled.

"Well, I guess this is my house."

"You're kidding."

"No, this really is my house."

"You see that house over there." Emiko pointed to the left. "Two houses over from your house is mine."

"Small world."

"Iiiiiiiichiiiigooooooo!" Their attention turned to the sound of breaking glass and a man in his early forties coming towards them through the window.

"Ahh!" Emiko said in a deep squeak stepping behind Ichigo and hiding. With a swift kick to the face the black haired old man was on the ground and groaning.

The man hopped up off the ground moments later and proceeded to get into a scuffle with the orange haired teen. "You're late to dinner!" He yelled. "Hey." He stopped. "Who's your beautiful, young lady friend Ichigo?"

"Oh no." Ichigo replied and seconds later was thrown out of the way.

"Helllooooo there. I am Kurosaki Isshin, Ichigo's wildly handsome father." he bellowed shaking her hand vigorously.

"Ni-ice to meet you." she said awkwardly, being shaken up and down with the handshake. "My name is Mari Emiko."

"Mari huh." He said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Well I simply insist you stay for dinner." and Isshin proceeded to shove her inside the house.

Emiko was barely able to kick off her shoes at he door as she was being dragged inside.

"Welcome home Ichigo, who's your friend?"

"Dad, put her down."

Came the voices of two young girls. The first was a sweet and motherly sounding one, which she assumed came from the young blonde girl dressed in an ironed collared shirt with flowers and a pink, frilly apron. The other voice was deeper but still feminine and angrier sounding. The other girl from which the voice came was dressed in a black shirt with three quarter length sleeves and black leggings under a brown plaid skirt.

"Hi nice to meet you, Mari Emiko." she said being shoved into the kitchen. Shortly behind her was Ichigo walking at a leisurely pace after putting their bags down at the foot of the stairs and taking off his shoes at the door.

Isshin let go of Emiko and Ichigo booted him in the head. "Now no fighting boys." the blonde girl lectured. "It's very nice to meet you Emiko-san, I'm Kurosaki Yuzu and this is Kurosaki Karin my non identical twin sister."

"Yuzu-chan, you can just call me Em-chan. I-if you like that is." she said almost nervously.

"Em-chan it is. Ichi nii, go and get another chair from the clinic, Em-chan you can have Ichigo's chair."

"Oh no, I don't want to be any trouble." she replied.

"It's okay, Ichigo doesn't mind." Yuzu assured her as Ichigo walked out of the room muttering something incomprehensible.

"Sorry Ichigo." Emiko said calling after him and running him down the hallway after him.

"Ahh it's nothing. My family is like this all the time."

"At least you're always together. That's nice."

"Well yeah I suppose so if you factor out my old mule.. I mean old man being a bag of nuts."

"Ichigo, I know you care. I know this will ruin the light mood but you need to understand your father loves you. He may be fifty shades of crazy but he's always been there and you need to spend as much time with the people you love before you lose them. You never know when that time will come. Heck, they might lose you fist. Family and friends have to come first. The people you love, Ichigo. Very important. Now go get that chair." Emiko lectured with a half smile and then walked out back into the kitchen.

"So Yuzu, what's cooking?"

* * *

"So Emiko, are you staying the night?" Isshin asked expectantly.

"Um, probably not." she replied awkwardly, feeling very weirded out. "I should probably get home and make sure the house is okay. Oyaji and Kaasan are coming tomorrow afternoon." She explained.

"Aw that's a shame. But I suppose it's great your parents are coming to visit."

"Yes, now I've moved out they drop buy occasionally to make sure I'm doing as expected."

"Ahhh.."

"Anyways, I guess I should get going."

"Need me to walk you home?" Ichigo's deep voice sounded as he suddenly came into the conversation.

"Well I don't need you to." His face fell. "Doesn't mean I don't want you to." She added with a smile to him.

He returned her smile and slipped on some shoes at the front door. Emiko also applied her shoes and walked out the door as he held it open for her.

* * *

"Good night."

"Y-yeah. Goodnight I guess." He stuttered.

"Ichigo, do you have a cell phone?"

"Just got one last year." He replied.

"Give it to me." Emiko ordered waving her hands towards herself in a give me your dang phone sort of way.

"W-ahh?" he asked while she snatched it out of his hands. It was a simple black flip phone with a screen on the top and a screen with a keypad on the other side.

Emiko skimmed through the phone going into his contacts and adding herself to the book. She typed in her number and added a cute smiley face next to her name.

"Here." She gave him his phone back. "You'd better text me soon Kurosaki." She ordered with a smile shaking her phone on front of his face. Her phone was a long oval shaped blue phone with a screen that pushed up to reveal a keypad. "Ttyl." Emiko said with a smile and shut the door in his face.


End file.
